Counterpoint: CEOs should look at their companies as if they needed to provide a service for every citizen, constantly renew their social licence to operate, and plan for the long term wellbeing of the whole country. www.ft.com/content/8255...

Politicians should ‘look at the UK economy as a CEO would’, says Lloyds Bank’s boss

Head of Britain’s biggest lender talks about tax, AI and why the City of London has fallen behind global rivals

ft.com

'...moving to fewer, larger health boards the Scottish Government must ensure that there are adequate levels of accountability so that individual’s needs, issues and rights are not ignored by an enlarged, distant and unresponsive bureaucracy.' changemh.org/latest_news/...

Change Mental Health's reaction to the Programme for Government

Reaction to the Programme for Government 2026-31Our CEO, Nick Ward, reacts to the 2026-31 Programme for Government. Today, the Scottish Government unveiled their 2026-2031 Programme for Government. Co...

changemh.org

We need to give charities and the third sector in general the resources it needs to deliver responsive community based person centred support.

Scotland must meet the mental health challenges of the modern age. We need to not just invest more money but make sure it gets to the right places to have the greatest impact.

Really pleased to be able to go on the BBC this evening and talk about what Andy Burnham’s announcements on mental health mean for Scotland.

This weekend I did something marvelous. I and some members of my LGBT running club to Newcastle to take part in their pride run. Gay men, gay women, trans people & straight allies all running together - this is the real LGBT community, living our lives in pride, solidarity& love. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

the cognitive dissonance required to threaten to sue *Amnesty International* out of existence and still think of yourself as a good person is incredible

ICE is a menace to democracy and its murderous conduct should be soberly considered. But we should also recognize that these people are weak and sad and ought to be made fun of. Read more: www.theverge.com/policy/96430...

Well the last episode of Tip Toe is absolutely horrifying. It’s every gay mans nightmare and the inevitable end point of the radicalisation of young men and the rise of the far right and misinformation in the UK.

The country must come first. The country has made its views clear and has lost its confidence in the prime minister. Labour MPs should now call on him to allow an orderly transition. Labour members of the government should resign until he does so.

Starmer's post elections pitch sounds just like his speech on entering Downing Street two years ago And so question is will anything change, seems highly unlikely. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

These election results don’t mean tacking left or right, but delivering for the whole country | Keir Starmer

In the coming days I will be setting out our path to break with the status quo once and for all by building a stronger and fairer UK, says the prime minister, Keir Starmer

theguardian.com

My thoughts on the position of the Prime Minister…

One of my best friends lost her seat yesterday. She was a brilliant councillor, hard working, dedicated, passionate, solutions orientated. She didn’t lose her seat because of her. She lost it because of Keir Starmer. He needs to go. @florawilliamson.bsky.social thank you for your years of service ❤️

Ultimately this is a story with a simple cause: the prime minister outsourced his judgement to someone he *really* shouldn’t have, and now he owns the fallout from that, and hard to see how his government gets out from under that one:

The Mandelson fiasco reveals the true nature of Starmerism

This is a prime minister who does not understand the difficult trade-offs involved in governing

ft.com

Joy joy joy!!!! 🥳🥳🥳

Mike Galsworthy@mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 7mo ago

This win by Peter Magyar is far better than most imagined. Particularly because Orban conceded so quickly. But the real question is - does he have a super-majority? Because if so... that revolutionises what he can do. And Trump & Putin are the big losers from this. Here's why. 👇

Kenny Harris~Artist

Good!

Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot@bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Denmark planned to blow up Greenland runways if US invaded, reports say

Great idea!

Gillian Mackay - Scottish Greens@gillianmackaygreen.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Bikes 4 Refugees provide isolated New Scots with mobility and freedom of movement. With no right to work and an allowance of around £7 per day, access to bicycles can be a lifeline. It was a privilege to visit today with Glasgow Southside candidate @hollybruce.bsky.social & @ross-greer.bsky.social

21 East Crosscauseway, built around 1778 on what is now a side street but was then the only paved road in the south of Edinburgh, which linked the city’s two main roads south. (The name comes an unfortunate anglicisation of the Scots word "causey", meaning "paved".) Former residents include:

Yesterday we opened our doors to partners across the third sector, national and local government and asked them to tear our draft strategy apart. Honest challenge, tough questions, real collaboration. This is the kind of openness we need to meet the challenges of our time.

Absolutely magnificent! Loved Oh! Mary on the west end.

Good. Europe and the United Kingdom must resist this detestable bullying. A line must be drawn in the sand, a friend, an ally, who bullies and coerces is no friend at all.

Mark Chadbourn@chadbourn.bsky.social · 9mo ago

The European Union plans to suspend a trade deal with the United States over Trump’s Greenland tariffs, Bloomberg reports.

Have just completed my first ever oil painting! I’m very proud of the lemon and ashamed of the lime (which now looks like an apple)! Painting with oils gives you lovely textured and excited about how much more I have to learn!

I think… it’s time.

Unusual Whales@unusualwhales.bsky.social · 10mo ago

BREAKING: The UK Government is working with Canada and Australia to launch a coordinated ban on X, per the Telegraph

This is stunning. Listen to this in Philadelphia. Thousands singing “Hey-Oh, we won’t be silent while our friends are gunned down.” Really listen to it.

Stephen Colbert on the ICE murder of Renee Nicole Good: “The message from this administration is clear. Only they determine the truth. And when their forces come to your city: obey or die. And if you die, you clearly didn’t obey. This should be an alarm bell for the entire country.”

🚨The President of the United States turns ICE into his own personal secret police. 🚨ICE agents invade American cities harassing and abusing those living there. 🚨ICE agent murders an innocent woman in cold blood. 📢Fraser Nelson - this is all the fault of migrants. www.thetimes.com/article/989b...

🎉🚨 Big soppy post alert 🚨🙏 Today marks 4 years as Chief Exec of Change Mental Health. It’s been an extraordinary journey and today I’m letting myself feel proud of what we’ve achieved.

New role! ✨ Head of Fundraising 📍 Edinburgh 💰 £46,350 – £51,500 💁 Leading team of 4 🏖️ 37 days leave, Mental Wellbeing days & blue light card 🍯 6% Employer Pension Contribution Really exciting new role for Change and we are a great place to work! Please do share! changemh.org/vacancies/he...

Head of Fundraising - Change Mental Health

changemh.org

The even more unbelievable crime fact (which I learned relatively recently) is that burglary has fallen by more than 90% since the 1990s. Did anyone notice? Nope. Does anyone believe it? Nope. But is is true? It is!

Tom Clark@tom-clark.bsky.social · last yr.

Useful reminder from Peter Kellner on the problems we refuse to acknowledge are getting better, and the politics of hopelessness that this breeds open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...